This article is part of a sshrc funded research program on the history and theory of the concept of race and racism in psychology. Classic definition of ethnocentrism as a feeling of superiority regarding ones own culture or way of life. Hammond department of political science university of michigan, ann arbor robert axelrod gerald r. See more ideas about ap psychology, psychology and short film. Ethnocentrism is the attitude andor ideology concerning the relationship between an individuals own group and other groups. Sumner himself was particularly influenced by gumplowiczs realpolitik ap. Febbraro the authors conduct two empirical studies. Information and translations of ethnocentrism in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Ethnocentric individuals believe theyre better than other individuals for reasons based solely on their heritage. The phenomenon of ethnocentrism is believed to occur largely because individuals have the greatest awareness and information about their own culture. Ethnocentrism article about ethnocentrism by the free. Ethnocentrism cultural anthropology lumen learning.
Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Ethnocentrism is a type of bias which occurs when the researcher lets their own cultural preconceptions affect their conclusion of the research. Ethnocentrism means that one may see hisher own culture as the correct way. Ethnocentrism as a form of intuition in psychology. I suggest that anyone beginning to study strategy start here as its short and accessible and will likely flavour thinking about topics as you go on. Ethnocentric definition of ethnocentric by merriamwebster. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Operational definitiona description of the specific procedure used to determine the presence of a variable such as a smile for happiness. Ethnocentrism is one of sociologys distinctive concepts.
Ford school of public policy university of michigan, ann arbor ethnocentrism is a nearly universal syndrome of attitudes and behaviors, typically including ingroup favoritism. Ethnocentrism is assumption of superiority of ones own group. Ethnocentrism is the belief of superiority is ones personal ethnic group, but it can also develop from racial or religious differences. In the current article we investigate how such reference frames may relate to societalstructural factors such as socioeconomic status ses, feelings of anomie, and authoritarianism within iranian.
It is looking at outgroups and judging them based on the norms and standards of one particular culture. Email citation the author draws on literature from anthropology, sociology, psychology. Ethnocentric definition is characterized by or based on the attitude that ones own group is superior. Pdf theories of ethnocentrism and their implications for. This was a short book, but ideas and concepts shoehorned therein. Ethnocentrism means seeing the world only from ones own cultural perspective, and believing that this one perspective is both normal and correct. As nouns the difference between ethnocentrism and prejudice is that ethnocentrism is the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of ones own traditional, deferred, or adoptive ethnic culture while prejudice is countable an adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge of the facts. Very often this means that differences in groups e. Indeed, the two most widely cited books on ethnocentrism state. Theories of ethnocentrism and their implications for.
Ethnocentrism occurs when an individual considers his culturenation to be absolutely superior. Intellectually engaged bedtime reading is becoming a habit. Ethnocentrism is the term anthropologists use to describe the opinion that ones. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. A categorization of humans based on skin color and other physical characteristics. Although all cultures have developed their particular forms of intuition, the focus of this analysis is on. Ethnocentrism is conceptualized as a basic kantian form of intuition that plays a knowledgeproducing role. This introduction to psychology project began with a germ of an idea. Ethnocentrism is the belief in the superiority of ones ethnic group krayer, 20. The phenomenon of ethnocentrism is believed to occur largely because individuals have the greatest awareness and information about their own.
Ethnocentrism example of ethnocentrism a person hearing voices is interpreted as a clinical symptom of schizophrenia in north america and europe, but is seen as a gift in some other societies as they believe it is god or ancestors communicating with the individual. Ethnocentrism as a form of intuition in psychology thomas teo york university angela r. Ethnocentrism is a nearly universal syndrome of attitudes and behaviors, typically including ingroup favoritism hammond and axelrod 2006. Its the belief that ones ethnic group is superior to another. William graham sumner coined the term ethnocentrism in 1906. These aspects or categories are distinctions that define each ethnicitys unique cultural identity. The book begins with a diagnostic test to help you gauge how best to prepare for. Grading is done off of total points the way students earn points are assignments, participation, celebrations of learning, quizzes, projects, and even bonus work.
Ethnocentrism, the belief that ones culture for example, ethnic, racial is. Ethnocentrism is not clearly defined in the nursing literature and use of the term is vague and ambiguous. Ethnocentrismbelief that your culture or social group is superior to others. Ethnocentrism may manifest itself in attitudes of superiority or sometimes hostility. In psychology, what is the meaning of ethnocentrism. The branch of psychology concerned with everyday, practical problems. The author draws on literature from anthropology, sociology, psychology. Ethnocentrism definition of ethnocentrism by medical dictionary. Ethnocentrism definition of ethnocentrism by merriamwebster. These are threat perceptions, the need for selfaggrandizement, preference for those who are similar over those who are different, proneness to cognitive simplicity, broad social factors, such as social norms and. Ethnocentric bias click here to enter the psychology web.
Closely related to the concept of cultural relativity is the concept of ethnocentrism. Ethnocentric bias also known as ethnocentrism occurs when perceptions of others are influenced by the culture of ones own ethnic group. Ethnocentric definition in the cambridge english dictionary. Ethnocentrism is a major factor in the divisions among members of different ethnicities, races, and religious groups. Curricula from the elementary to the university levels were revised. Some examples of how multiculturalism has affected the social and political spheres are found in revisions of curricula, particularly in europe and north america, and the expansion of the western literary and other canons that began during the last quarter of the 20th century. Racial categories are social and political constructions because they are based on ideas that some biologiacal differences especially skin color are more important than others e. Ethnocentrism in church 5 reading and interpreting scriptures ministering to lord and his church serving the cosmos. Reflections on medical anthropology health, culture and society. Ethnocentrism students britannica kids homework help. Ethnocentrism is one of the fundamental concepts in psychology and the social sciences. The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders is used by clinicians and psychiatrists to diagnose psychiatric illnesses. In 20, the latest version known as the dsm5 was released. Just as egocentrism is a sense of selfsuperiority, so ethnocentrism is the parallel tendency to judge ones group as superior to other groups.
Androcentrism refers to perspectives concerned with masculinity or men to the exclusion of other perspectives. Encourages researchers to be wary of assuming their culture is superior and making biased conclusions about human behaviour. A bias is a form of mental deception that alters our perceptions of the environment and other people. What do the following studies tell us about ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism definition of ethnocentrism by medical.
Ethnocentrism occurs when negative value judgments are made about others based on the differences between ones own culture and a foreign culture. Ethnocentrism journal of social and political psychopen. As a practice, it consists of evaluating other cultures from the perspective of ones own. The dsm is published by the american psychiatric association and covers all categories of mental health disorders for both adults and children. For example, western and eastern cultures have many differences, so a piece of research could be inter. The evolution of ethnocentrism university of michigan. This attribution is prominent in psychology and the social sciences and is found in major works on ethnocentrism. Gumplowicz and sumner defined ethnocentrism similarly as a belief that ones. Ap test 500 terms from barrons flashcards ap psychology with. Epistemology, ethnocentrism, scientific racism, prejudice, culture. The world ethno comes from greek and refers to a people, nation, or cultural grouping, while centric comes from latin and refers, of course to the centre.
Theories of conflict, ethnic attitudes, and group behavior. Ethnocentrism definition is the attitude that ones own group, ethnicity, or nationality is superior to others. Using data from the united states, south korea, and india, they explore six hypotheses. Influential factors on ethnocentrism psychology essay. Jun 10, 2016 ethnocentrism is a type of bias which occurs when the researcher lets their own cultural preconceptions affect their conclusion of the research. Two years later, after careful cultivation and creative collaboration, it has become a viable organism, with a name. This attribution is prominent in psychology and the social sciences and is found in major works on ethnocentrism, intergroup relations, and.
The opposite of androcentrism, which occurs when the. It is coupled with a generalized contempt for members of other groups. A tendency to malign and reject another ethnic group while glorifying your own. Erin alkire samantha garton matthew leonard leland wood ethnocentrism 2. Ethnocentrism definition ethnocentrism is the tendency to view the world through the lens of ones own culture.
Ken booth fba is a international relations and security theorist. The tendency to interpret human behaviour from the viewpoint of our own ethnic, social or other group. It is widely assumed that sumner coined the concept of ethnocentrism in 1906. Because categorizing and organizing is a basic element of human nature and identity, it would be impossible to eliminate ethnocentrism from our world entirely. Among earlier list items, the first few items are recalled more frequently than the middle items the primacy effect.
Ethnocentrism is used in social sciences and anthropology to describe the act of judging another culture and believing that the values and standards of ones own culture are superior especially with regard to language, behavior, customs, and religion. Ethnocentrism as a form of intuition in psychology thomas teo, angela r. Eustress physiological and emotional arousal that may be productive and motivating. Ethologists scientists who study animal behavior and how it has evolved in different species. Comprehension of this concept is a major step in the acquisition of a sociological outlook. List of books and articles about ethnocentrism online. Barrons ap psychology, 5th edition long branch public schools.
This article utilizes the walker and avant method of concept analysis to clarify the meaning of ethnocentrism resulting in a new definition. A fellow of the british academy,booths profile on their website describes his principle scholarly field as the strategic aspects of international relations and his role in establishing the new field of critical security studies. Ethnocentrism is the view that ones own culture is better than anyone elses culture. While extreme ethnocentrism may take the same offensive form and may have the same dire consequences as extreme racism, there are significant differences between the two concepts. Booth is a senior research associate and former professor at aberystwyth university. Theories of ethnocentrism can be broadly categorized according to what they perceive to be the main cause of ethnocentrism. This definition touches on the nature of ethnocentrism which illuminates how this concept relates to authoritariandogmatic ideology mayer, 2012. That is, individuals tend to judge others behaviors, customs, beliefs, and attitudes by their own cultural standards. You are going to study behavior and mental processes in scientific ways.
Ethnocentrism is a belief that your society, group, or culture is superior to all others. Students of introductory sociology are often left, at the end of the course, with a feeling that the term ethnocentrism denotes a flaw in human nature. A presentation summary based on the book from matsumoto, d. By understanding the mechanisms of ethnocentrism, we may be able to improve society. The term was coined by american yale professor, william graham sumner sumner defined ethnocentrism as.
931 850 396 749 1119 731 1160 629 298 594 16 532 418 1089 61 579 1148 890 1159 84 668 188 1502 646 200 254 840 985 97 116 709 61 855 861 1045 227 308 1059 515 62 1354 285 1212 565 317 922 206 1218 371 1271 401